I took a bus tour of the British Isles back in 2006, and I wish I knew then what I know now about my family history, because we visited a lot of the places connected to my mother's side of the family. I never knew any of my grandparents, and my mother knew little herself, having come to the U.S. as a little girl from Canada with her older brother and their mother who was divorced. Everything I've learned has been through my family tree research.
It wasn't until my mother died in 1990 that I went to Canada to do some family research, and found out more about that side of the family than I ever expected. At one of the archives I visited, I found a family tree on the Way family, which is the line my mother was descended from. From that I learned that my 5th Great-Grandfather led a NY county militia (Dutchess) during the Revolutionary War. He's listed in the DAR Patriot Index. I had ancestors who were both Patriots and Loyalists on her side.
I too visited Sturbridge several times in my younger days. I usually stopped there and ate at the Publick House Inn there, either on my way to Boston to do research or on my way back. I always stopped at their bake shop on the way home to get one of their apple pies, which were to die for.
My 5th great grandfather was also in the military from Dutchess County in 1775. He joined up to invade Canada after Bunker Hill. I’ve also got a line of Quebec Canadians from the 1600s so we might have some connections there.
I lived in MA and worked in NY for 10 years, husband for 20, commuting weekly, so we passed Sturbridge constantly. Always stopped to eat at Rein’s Deli in Vernon NY. Not getting out traveling, that’s the place I miss the most.